Students join global campaign to stop violence

Did you know one out of every three women on the planet will be beaten or raped during their lifetime? With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than one billion women and girls.

To bring awareness to this staggering statistic, the Peace and Justice Club at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) unites with activists around the world for One Billion Rising on February 14, 2013. One Billion Rising is the largest day of action in the history of V-Day, the global activist movement to end violence against women and girls.

SMWC joins with writers, thinkers, celebrities, and women and men across the world as to express outrage, demand change, strike, dance, and rise in defiance of the injustices women suffer, demanding an end at last to violence against women. The movement invites supporters to move the earth by dancing in every country in a display of collective strength and solidarity.

“Many people know about violence against women but most won’t talk about it,” said Nora Dalipi, president of The Peace and Justice Club and human resource management major. “We have several activities planned that week as it all culminates with a dance. The dance is symbolically meant to shake the earth and hear one global voice.”

The Peace and Justice Club has partnered with the community to extend the reach to the local collegiate community. Assisting in this effort are Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Pi Kappa Alpha – Iota Delta (PIKE) Fraternity and Indiana State University, Society for Human Resource Management – collegiate chapter.

SMWC activities include:

Feb 12, 2013 Woods Student Center, 7:30 p.m. Theresa Flores Human trafficking survivor, and victim’s advocate. Her story has been seen on Night Line, America’s Most Wanted, The Today Show and MSNBC: Sex Slaves – The Teen Trade.